Cyberbullying and Media Safety
Media Safety: Guidelines for Children’s Television Use
Television offers many educational and entertaining programs. However, it's important to be aware that explicit sexual television content is on the rise. Sexual imagery is used to attract viewers to products and programs.
And sex is typically not depicted realistically or shown to be risky or have potentially negative consequences. Many television shows and commercials make it seem normal for young people to have sex, and television contributes to new, looser norms of sexual behavior, especially amongst teens. In addition, many programs reinforce a belief that sexual harassment and sexual violence against women are okay.
Young children may be watching material on a daily basis that is inappropriate and that they cannot understand or deal with. And teens may be watching programs that influence their behavior and attitudes in unhealthy ways. It is critical that parents be aware of their children's viewing habits and help them create healthy ones.
Guidelines for Healthy Television Watching
- Watch television with your children and discuss program content. Listen to your children's opinions without judgment, and share your own values. Encourage children to question the behavior modeled and the values portrayed.
- Teach children to analyze commercials and to spot exaggeration and lies.
- Limit the amount of television your children watch. (The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends one to two hours per day.)
- Keep the television in a family room rather than in a child's room.
- Be clear about what programs they can and cannot watch.
- Help children plan their viewing time, make deliberate choices, and turn the television off rather than keep it on out of habit. Discourage channel surfing.
- Model healthy television habits with your own viewing.
- Model alternative activities for relaxation and fun.
- Do not use television as a babysitter.